Machine for rolling flat sheets

ABSTRACT

A flat sheet is placed on a bed between guides and moved by feed rollers laterally into a stationary tube through a slot therein. When the sheet enters the tube, it is engaged by backup rollers which feed the sheet around the inside of the tube to wind the sheet, and after the sheet is so wound, the winding rolls become inoperative and the rolled sheet is engaged by another roller of soft rubber to be moved endwise from the tube to be taken off by an operator or ejected into a mailing tube or the like.

United States Patent MACHINE FOR ROLLING FLAT SHEETS 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl

Int. Cl t.

Field of Search 242/81 B65h 17/02 242/68.7, 68.1, 72.l,7l.l,67.l

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,395,870 8/1968 Klinger 242/210 X Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Assistant E.raminer-Gregory A. Walters Attorney-Victor J. Evans and Co.

ABSTRACT: A flat sheet is placed on a bed between guides and moved by feed rollers laterally into a stationary tube through a slot therein. When the sheet enters the tube, it is engaged by backup rollers which feed the sheet around the inside of the tube to wind the sheet and after the sheet is so wound, the winding rolls become inoperative and the rolled sheet is engaged by another roller of soft rubber to be moved endwise from the tube to be taken off by an operator or ejected into a mailing tube or the like.

PATENTEDNHV 23 Ian 3.622.088 sum 1 or 2 IN V EN TOR.

56 5:41 (m/a A. Na 30 MACHINE FOR ROLLING FLAT SHEETS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A stationary tube is arranged adjacent a flat bed and is provided with a longitudinal slot, the bottom of which is level with the flat bed. Power-driven feed rollers are arranged above the bed referred to in advance of the tube and are adapted to rotate in engagement with the sheet to feed it through the slot in the tube to wind it within the tube.

After the winding of the sheet within the tube has started, a rotating shaft within the tube is laterally moved, and backup rollers, projecting through openings in the tube, engage the sheet and continue the winding thereof until such winding is completed. The shaft is then moved back to the center of the tube to disengage the winding rollers from the sheet, whereupon an ejecting soft rubber roller projects through another opening in the tube near one end thereof to slide the wound sheet endwise of the tube and eject it from such end thereof. The ejecting roller can be controlled by a time delay relay to partly or entirely eject the sheet. The wound tube may be picked off by an operator, or a mailing tube or the like may be supported adjacent the machine to receive the wound sheet. Control devices are employed, suitably electrically connected and operated for causing the sequence of operations referred to. For example, solenoids are operable for swinging the shaft laterally toward the winding rollers and for moving the shaft away from such rollers when the winding operation has been completed. Another solenoid is operable for moving the ejecting roller into engagement with the wound sheet at the proper time to eject the sheet. A suitable electric eye controls the shaft-moving solenoids to move the shaft away from the winding rollers when the following end of the sheet enters the stationary tube, and the same means is employed for moving the ejecting roller into operative position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the same looking in the direction of the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. Sis a section on line 5-5 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a detail fragmentary sectional view perpendicular to the axis of the stationary tube showing the ejecting roller in operative position; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, the numeral 10 designates a supporting structure as a whole including an upper plate or bed 12 and a lower supporting surface 14. Near the inner edge of the bed 12 is arranged a stationary tube 16 having a pair of openings 18 and an additional opening 20 adjacent one end, for a purpose to be described.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, a usually paper element 22 (FIG. 1) to be rolled, is arranged on the bed 12 to be fed toward the tube 16. When moved toward the tube 16, the sheet 22 extends through a slot 24 longitudinally of the tube I6 and coils around inside the tube as at 26. The tube 16 is supported by the structure 10, and a shaft 28, which is revolving and laterally movable in a manner and for a purpose to be described toward the right and left as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, projects through the tube 16. The sheet on the bed 12 is guided by a pair of vertical fences and 31, the latter of which is laterally adjustable in accordance with the width of the sheet to be rolled, by an adjustable screw 32 operable in a slot 33.

A plurality of feed rollers 34 are provided at spaced points across the bed 12, the substantial number of rollers shown being employed to take care of sheets of substantial width. The rollers are mounted on a shaft 36 supported in bearings 38. The rollers 34 are arranged in adjacent pairs between which are arranged holddown plates 40 pivoted on the shaft 36 and connected by a rod 42 to maintain the right-hand ends of the plates 40 in engagement with the sheet being fed to the machine to hold it in snug engagement with the sheet 22. The shaft 36 is power driven in a manner to be described.

A boxlike structure 44 at one side of the supporting structure 10 supports the shaft 28. Within the structure 44 the shaft 28 is provided with a pulley 46 around which passes a belt 48 passing around a pulley 50 (FIG. 3) on a lower shaft 52 mounted in bearings 54. The structure 44, carrying the shaft 28, is pivoted on the shaft 52 to rock on the axis thereof between the two positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The length of the structure 44 and the pivoting of the end walls thereof about the shaft 52 supports the shaft at spaced points so that the latter is bodily movable about the axis of the shaft 52.

The structure 44 is provided with a plate 56 fixed thereto and connected to the armatures 58 of a pair of solenoids 60 supported on the bed 12 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). These solenoids are simultaneously energized or deenergized to move the structure 44 between the two positions described.

On the surface 14 is arranged an electric motor 62, the drive shaft of which is provided with a pulley 64. A belt 66 passes around this pulley and around a pulley 68 mounted on the shaft 52. Accordingly, the shaft 28 and shaft 52 will be driven by the motor 62. Within the structure 44 the shaft 52 is provided with a pulley 70. A belt 72 passes around this pulley and around a pulley 74 on the shaft 36 to drive the feed rollers 34.

Pairs of bearing brackets 76 support rollers 78, the shafts of which are stationary and which may be made of nylon and adapted to project through the respective openings I8. The rollers 78 bear against the coil of paper 26 in the stationary tube to pinch it tightly against the rotating shaft 28 so that it will properly coil around the inside of the tube. The solenoids 60 are energizable and deenergizable by the making and breaking of a circuit forming per se no part of the present invention. This circuit will include a light beneath the bed 12 projecting a beam through an opening 80 in the bed I2 to be intercepted by an electric eye 82.

The opening 20 is adapted to receive partially into the tube 16 a vertical rough-textured soft rubber roller 84 mounted on a vertical shaft 86 (FIG. 7) mounted at its lower end in a bearing 88 supported by an arm 90 pivoted to a vertical shaft 92 spaced therefrom. Welded or otherwise secured to said arm is a free-swinging arm 94 which moves over the surface I4. The surface of the roller 84 is curved from end to end as at 96 to fit around a coiled paper sheet in the tube 16 and rotation of the roller 84 will eject the completely rolled tube from the end of the stationary tube 16 nearest the observer in FIG. 2.

The shaft 86 is provided with a pulley 98 around which passes a belt 100, and this belt passes around a pulley 102 on the shaft 92. The arm 90 swings about the axis of the shaft 92 between its operative position shown in FIG. 1 and its inoperative position in FIG. 2 out of engagement with the coiled sheet of paper. Such bodily movement of the ejecting roller 84 takes place through operation of a solenoid 104 having its armature 106 connected to the plate 94.

The upper end of the shaft 92 is provided with a pulley I08, and a belt 110 passes around this pulley and around a pulley 112 on the upper end of the shaft 114 ofa motor 116. The circuitry for the mechanism is such that when the solenoid I04 moves the ejecting roller 84 into engagement with the rolled paper sheet, the motor 116 will be energized to drive the ejecting roller 84 through the belts I00 and ill) and their associated pulleys, thus causing the rolled paper tube to be ejected from the stationary tube I6 toward the observer in FIG. 2.

The ejected tube may be grasped by the hands of an operator and held in coiled condition, if desired. A mailing tube or similar receptacle may be supported adjacent the ejecting end of the tube. Referring to FIG. 2, a vertical stationary bracket I18 may be mounted against the support 10 to carry a pair of vertically adjustable upwardly opening forks 120. These forks are connected to each other by adjusting means I22 according to the length of the rolled paper tube being ejected from the machine.

A control support 124 is supported above the surface 14 to carry electrical control elements associated with the mechanism. For example, the knob 126 controls a time-delay relay 128 which allows the ejection of the paper roll to be either partially complete, to be grasped by the hand of the operator, or completely ejected into a mailing tube or the like supported by the forks 120.

OPERATION The sheet to be rolled, which may be a poster, calendar, or any other sheet capable of being rolled, is placed on the bed 12 and the fence 31 is adjusted so that the two fences 30 and 31 guide the sheet squarely for movement perpendicular to the tube 16. The sheet is fed to the rollers 34 which grip the sheet and project it forwardly through the slot 24 (FIG. The plates 40 are overbalanced by gravity and the right-hand ends thereof in FIG. 5 hold the sheet flat to feed it through the bottom of the slot 24 so that it will be sure to pass into the tube 16 beneath the shaft 28.

As soon as the advancing end of the sheet enters the tube 16, the tube curves the sheet to tend to wind it around the inside of the tube 16. This shaft is driven from the motor 62 through the belts 66 and 48 and their associated pulleys. As soon as the sheet enters the tube 16, the solenoids 60 are operated to swing the structure 44 about the axis of the shaft 52 to cause the shaft 28 to move to pinch the sheet between the shaft and the rollers 78, thus assisting the sheet in coiling in the tube 16. In practice, the movement of the sheet over the opening 80 (FIG. 2) starts the operations referred to, and when the following end of the sheet moves beyond the opening 80, the beam to the electric eye 82 is restored and the solenoids 60 function to move the shaft 28 to the left to disengage the rollers 78 from the wound sheet. This takes place simultaneously with the energization of the motor 116 and solenoid 104, the roller 84 thus being driven and moved into the opening 20 to engage the rolled sheet. The roller 84 thus ejects the sheet from the open end of the tube as seen in FIG. 2. The rolled sheet thus ejected may be grasped and taken from the machine by the hand of an operator, or the wound sheet may be ejected into a mailing tube supported in any suitable way, for example, by the forks 120 in H6. 2.

The operation of the machine is very rapid, it requiring an extremely short period of time for the complete winding of a sheet, whereupon the next following sheet may be immediately fed to the rollers 34 to be moved into the tube 16.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved machine for rolling flat sheets which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A machine for rolling flat sheets comprising a stationary tube having a slot in one side and at least one opening in the opposite side thereof, a revolving shaft projecting through said tube, means for feeding a sheet through said slot to be wound around the inside of said tube, and pressure means extending through said opening, making no physical contact with said tube and engaging a sheet within said tube and holding the sheet against said shaft as the sheet is fed into said tube to cause it to coil around the inside of said tube.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said tube is provided with an opening, said pressure means comprising a winding roller extending into said opening to engage the sheet being wound in said tube.

3. A machine according to claim 2 provided with means for effecting relative movement between said shaft and said winding roller whereby the latter engages the sheet to press it against said shaft to feed it around the inside ofsaid tube.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said revolving shaft is mounted for lateral movement, and means for moving said shaft laterally whereby said roller engages the sheet to press it against said shaft.

5. A machine according to claim 4 provided with a motor, a structure pivoted on an axis below and parallel to the axis of said shaft, said shaft being rotatable in said structure and provided with a pulley, means providing the pivot axis for said structure and provided with a pair of pulleys one of which has belt connection with said motor, a pulley fixed to said shaft in said structure and having belt connection with the other pulley on said pivot shaft, said structure forming the sole support for said shaft, and means for moving said structure on its pivot axis to effect movement of said shaft laterally thereof to engage said winding roller with the sheet being wound in said tube.

6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said means for moving said structure on its pivot axis comprises an electromagnetic device having armature means connected to said structure.

7. A machine for rolling flat sheets comprising a stationary tube having a slot in one side thereof, a revolving shaft projecting through said tube, means for feeding a sheet through said slot to be wound around the inside of said tube, pressure means engaging a sheet and holding it against said shaft as the sheet is fed into said tube to cause it to coil around the inside of said tube, said means for feeding the sheet through said slot comprising pressure rollers engageable with a sheet, means for driving said pressure rollers, a shaft on which said pressure rollers are mounted, and holddown plates pivoted on said shaft and having ends projecting in close proximity to said slot, such ends being biased downwardly to engage the sheet being fed to said slot to guide the sheet thereinto.

8. A machine for rolling flat sheets comprising a stationary tube having a slot in one side thereof, a revolving shaft projecting through said tube, means for feeding a sheet through said slot to be wound around the inside of said tube, pressure means engaging a sheet and holding it against said shaft as the sheet is fed into said tube to cause it to coil around the inside of said tube, means for releasing said pressure means from the sheet after it is wound inside said tube, said tube being provided adjacent one end with an opening, and an ejecting roller relatively movable through said last-named opening after the sheet has been wound inside said tube for ejecting the sheet through said end of said tube.

9. A machine according to claim 8, provided with a pulley, means for driving such pulley, a vertical shaft on which such pulley is mounted, said shaft being provided with a second pulley, a swinging arm having pivotal connection at one end with said vertical shaft, a second vertical shaft supported by the other end of said swinging arm and supporting said ejecting roller, and means for swinging said arm to move said ejecting roller into engagement with a sheet wound inside said tube.

at a: k m a 

1. A machine for rolling flat sheets comprising a stationary tube having a slot in one side and at least one opening in the opposite side thereof, a revolving shaft projecting through said tube, means for feeding a sheet through said slot to be wound around the inside of said tube, and pressure means extending through said opening, making no physical contact with said tube and engaging a sheet within said tube and holding the sheet against said shaft as the sheet is fed into said tube to cause it to coil around the inside of said tube.
 2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said tube is provided with an opening, said pressure means comprising a winding roller extending into said opening to engage the sheet being wound in said tube.
 3. A machine according to claim 2 provided with means for effecting relative movement between said shaft and said winding roller whereby the latter engages the sheet to press it against said shaft to feed it around the inside of said tube.
 4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said revolving shaft is mounted for lateral movement, and means for moving said shaft laterally whereby said roller engages the sheet to press it against said shaft.
 5. A machine according to claim 4 provided with a motor, a structure pivoted on an axis below and parallel to the axis of said shaft, said shaft being rotatable in said structure and provided with a pulley, means providing the pivot axis for said structure and provided with a pair of pulleys one of which has belt connection with said motor, a pulley fixed to said shaft in said structure and having belt connection with the other pulley on said pivot shaft, said structure forming the sole support for said shaft, and means for moving said structure on its pivot axis to effect movement of said shaft laterally thereof to engage said winding roller with the sheet being wound in said tube.
 6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said means for moving said structure on its pivot axis comprises an electromagnetic device having armature means connected to said structure.
 7. A machine for rolling flat sheets comprising a stationary tube having a slot in one side thereof, a revolving shaft projecting through said tube, means for feeding a sheet through said slot to be wound around the inside of said tube, pressure means engaging a sheet and holding it against said shaft as the sheet is fed into said tube to cause it to coil around the inside of said tube, said means for feeding the sheet through said slot comprising pressure rollers engageable with a sheet, means for driving said pressure rollers, a shaft on which said pressure rollers are mounted, and holddown plates pivoted on said shaft and having ends projecting in close proximity to said slot, such ends being biased downwardly to engage the sheet being fed to said slot to guide the sheet thereinto.
 8. A machine for rolling flat sheets comprising a stationary tube having a slot in one side thereof, a revolving shaft projecting through said tube, means for feeding a sheet through said slot to be wound around the inside of said tube, pressure means engaging a sheet and holding it against said shaft as the sheet is fed into said tube to cause it to coil around the inside of said tube, means for releasing said pressure means from the sheet after it is wound inside said tube, said tube being provided adjacent one end with an opening, and an ejecting roller relatively movable through said last-named opening after the sheet has been wound inside said tube for ejecting the sheet through said end of said tube.
 9. A machine according to claim 8, provided with a pulley, Means for driving such pulley, a vertical shaft on which such pulley is mounted, said shaft being provided with a second pulley, a swinging arm having pivotal connection at one end with said vertical shaft, a second vertical shaft supported by the other end of said swinging arm and supporting said ejecting roller, and means for swinging said arm to move said ejecting roller into engagement with a sheet wound inside said tube. 